The Origin
by Miss Twylite Moone
Summary: Histories can be forgotten and distorted as generations pass. This is the TRUE story of how the Quileute Tribe gained their shape-shifting abilities.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **This story resembles Wuthering Heights in the sense that it's a story within a story.  
I don't know much about Quileute culture or language so I didn't rick making up names for the characters. Any new character names (names not  
chosen by Stephenie Meyer) will be in bold the first time they are shown. This is my take on Stephenie Meyer's version of the Quileute legend.  
I hope you enjoy it!

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**Chapter 1: In the Beginning...**

I sat completely motionless and waited. The man was pacing the room, glancing about nervously, and running his hands through his short, ragged hair.

While I waited for him to begin, I examined his appearance again. His short, black hair was a mess, jagged and uneven thanks to him choosing to cut it himself without the aid of a mirror. He wore only a _very_ ragged pair of old cutoff jeans. The blue of the denim was faded until it was almost white. I repressed a shudder as I remembered that they had been _brown _the first time I saw them. I made him let me wash them before he put them on.

His lack of clothes revealed the impressive muscles beneath his russet skin. His near nudity did not bother me. I had seen more than what I saw now. On another anyway.

I smiled at the thought and began to think of the night I professed my love to _my _wolf. I remembered the soft warmth of his skin, so much warmer than a human's, and a thousand times warmer than the rest of my family's. The way he kissed me and sighed my name. He told me how much he wanted it and I was happy. I had been afraid he would never think of me this way.

"I don't think I should be doing this." The words broke through my reverie. I met the man's gaze and was again shocked at how light his eyes were. All the other wolves I'd met had dark eyes. His were odd, tawny almost. They reminded me of my early days, when my mother was just as much a newborn as I was. I recalled the day I met our "cousins" for the first time. My mother's eyes were still tawny then, not yet gold.

I realized, a moment too late, he was waiting for me to respond.

"Don't worry, I'm going to do it," he said frowning at me when he didn't get a response. "I really shouldn't be doing this, but after all the trouble you went to track me down, you deserve something for the effort." I nodded, resisting the urge to smile as I realized he was going to give me what I wanted. Everyone gave me what I wanted.

"You have to remember that histories change with each telling. The legends they tell now are quite different from what actually happened thousands of years ago. Before I begin, you need to open your mind and forget everything you heard before today. And remember, I'm only going to tell you this once, so pay attention."  
He sat down and inhaled deeply. With a sharp exhale he stared at me, suddenly serious.

"In the beginning," he spoke slowly, "We were just like every other tribe. We had no magic in us. We relied on only our skills as fishermen to survive. We were a small people. It was difficult for us to defend ourselves. Between each full moon, our tribe got smaller. Eventually it got to the point that a large wave could have wiped us off the face of the planet.

"This was the time of sadness of which our legends speak. This was the time of my great-grandfather's grandfather. He was the young chief of the tribe at the time. His name was **Thunderbird.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **This story resembles Wuthering Heights in the sense that it's a story within a story.

I don't know much about Quileute culture or language so I didn't rick making up namesfor the characters. Any new character names (names not Chosen by Stephenie Meyer) will be in bold the first time they are shown. This is my take on Stephenie Meyer's version of the Quileute legend. I hope you enjoy it!

This chapter is much longer than the first. I suppose the first would be more of a preface. It is loosely based on the Quileute Thunderbird legend.

**

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**Chapter 2: Thunderbird and the Whale**

Thunderbird was the chief of our tribe during the time of great sadness. Though he was young, he was very wise. Many people came to him for advice, and not just those of his own tribe.

Now, the tribe was very small, and getting smaller, at this time. If it was not the enemy tribes killing and kidnapping them, then it was the fierce weather, breaking canoes, felling trees, or causing illness among the people. If the people managed to survive these problems, then they  
starved. The rivers were frozen over and the sea was far too turbulent to travel, making it impossible to fish, and the deer and elk had left the area seeking better weather.

When his people asked him what they should do, Thunderbird told them, "We will pray to the Great Spirit."

"We have been praying," responded **Fire Flight**, Thunderbird's younger brother. "The Great Spirit has either not heard us or wishes our people to disappear."

"If it is the will of the Great Spirit that we disappear, then we will accept our fate bravely."

The entire tribe, even doubtful Fire Flight, accepted the wise chief's words.

"Now," Thunderbird spoke again, "I will go to sea and see what I can bring back. I will go alone. While I am gone, you will remain here and pray. Ask the Great Spirit to help me provide for you, my people." He paused for a moment and turned to Fire Flight.

"While I am gone, it is up to you to guide our people. If I do not return from the sea, you will take my place as chief."

With that, Thunderbird went to sea and the tribe began to pray. For three days, Fire Flight led the tribe in prayer.

Shortly before dusk on the third day, the rain stopped. The tribe took it as a good omen. They gathered on the beach and continued to pray.

Moments before night fell, the sea calmed and a spot of color appeared. As the spot neared, the tribe recognized Thunderbird approaching in his canoe.

"Come, help me drag this ashore!" Thunderbird called when he was near enough. Fire Flight and several others rushed to aid him in hauling his catch to the beach. It did not take many to bring the whale out of the water, for it was very small, but the people were thrilled. This whale was large enough to feed the village for several days.

Just before the whale was completely on shore, it began to thrash about, knocking several men to the ground.

"You did not kill it, brother?" Fire Flight asked, shocked.

"It was difficult enough to capture the thing," Thunderbird answered. "Bring me a harpoon and I will end it quickly." While a harpoon was retrieved, the men pulled the whale more fully out of the water.

As Thunderbird prepared to deliver the deathblow to the creature, a voice spoke.

"Please," said the high, watery voice desperately. "Please spare me and I shall give you a gift in return."

The villagers looked on in shock as they realized the voice was coming from the whale. Many of their stories said animals could talk, but none of them had ever encountered it before.

"Please," the whale asked again. As he looked on, Thunderbird saw what looked like a large tear rolling down the whale's face. Thunderbird lowered the harpoon and said a silent prayer.

_Great Spirit, guide me. What must I do?_ In that moment, a break appeared in the clouds, casting the brilliant glow of the full moon directly on the whale. Thunderbird nodded, knowing what must be done.

"Come my people; help me release this poor creature." Doubtfully, Fire Flight stepped forward to push the whale back into the water. After a moment, a few others moved to help. When the whale was in water deep enough for it to swim in, Thunderbird spoke to it.

"It is not necessary to give us anything." He told it.

"All the same, I will," the whale answered. "Thank you for sparing me." With that the whale turned and swam deeply into the ocean.

* * *

"This was..." the man hesitated, searching for the right phrase. "The first domino to fall, I suppose." While telling me the story, the man had resumed his pacing. Now he stopped and looked directly at me. "This event triggered all others to come. Because Thunderbird chose to free the whale, we have come to exist."

"So was that the whale's gift?" I couldn't help but ask. "The spirit-traveling? Or was that also a myth?"

"No, child. The whale's gift came in the form of a pale, cold beauty." He paused for a moment, appearing to be amused by my reaction. "Not the kind you are thinking of though."

"What do you know of my thoughts?" I asked the man rather rudely. Ever since I left home to begin my search, I was highly relieved at not having to control my thoughts. It disturbed my father greatly whenever I thought about _my _wolf. I had been away from home long enough to get annoyed when anyone implied that they knew what I was thinking.

"What else could you be thinking? Cold, pale and beautiful. What else in the world matches that description?"

"Is there somehing else?"

"Yes, actually, there is. Now be quiet and I will tell you about the whale's gift..."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **This story resembles Wuthering Heights in the sense that it's a story within a story.

I don't know much about Quileute culture or language so I didn't risk making up names for the characters. Any new character names (names not chosen by Stephenie Meyer) will be in bold the first time they are shown. This is my take on Stephenie Meyer's version of the Quileute legend. I hope you enjoy it!

**At this point, cultures are getting a little crossed.**

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Chapter 3: The Gift of the Whale

The day after Thunderbird freed the whale, the sun shone for the first time in years. The ice covering the rivers thawed enough that the surface could be broken. Due to the many seasons without a predator, the fish were able to flourish, now providing a large amount for the tribe to eat.

Time passed. When the full moon once again appeared, Fire Flight approached his brother.

"Brother..." he began hesitantly, "do you believe that whale is really going to give us a gift?"

"I am unsure," Thunderbird replied. "But it does not matter if it chooses not to. The Great Spirit has provided us with what we need. Perhaps this is our gift for freeing the whale."

"Perhaps," answered Fire Flight doubtfully. He could tell that his brother would say no more about the whale.

The full moon came and went yet again and the tribe continued to flourish. Fire Flight continued to wonder about the whale. He spoke to many villagers about it but they all told him the same thing. "It does not matter if we receive a gift from the whale or not."

More time passed. On the day of the next full moon, just as Fire Flight was about to go mad with his curiosity, something happened.

While out scouting, **Tree Runner**, Thunderbird's brother-in-law, noticed a strange, ghostly woman walking toward the village. Tree Runner rushed back to the village and reported what he saw to Thunderbird. Curious, Thunderbird went to the edge of the village to meet the strange woman, with Fire Flight following close behind.

After a few moments, the ghostly woman appeared at the edge of the trees. The onlookers gasped at her beauty. Her skin was pale, the color of a pearl. Her hair and eyes were both dark, as dark as their own. Her expression showed a slight amusement at the shock of the villagers.

Thunderbird was more shocked than any other observer. More than shocked, he was enchanted. Everything about the woman captivated him. As he stared at her, he saw something in her eyes. It drew him forward. Without realizing how he got there, he was standing right in front of the beautiful stranger.

After another moment of amazed staring, Thunderbird spoke.

"Welcome. I am Thunderbird, chief of this tribe. Seeing as you don't seem to be around here, I am willing to offer you a hand."

The woman smiled, dazzling the already stunned chief. Then she spoke. "You have already helped me," she said in a high, watery voice. "Now I am here to help you."

Fire Flight nearly jumped out of his skin in his excitement. His maddening curiosity would finally be quenched. He waited, a thousand times more anxious than any other, for the woman to continue.

"I come from a land far across the sea. You must cross another land and another sea to reach my home. My family resides at the top of a tall mountain. The tallest in our nation. We are worshiped as symbols of many different things. I was the symbol of the hunt, the wild beast, and the moon.

"In the recent centuries, the people of our country have stopped worshiping us. Because they no longer believe we exist, we have very little to do. There is much time. In the last several years I have been spending time with my uncle, the symbol of the sea, getting to know his creatures. That is how we met."At this, she paused and smiled again at the chief. "I am now here to give you a gift. You do not have to accept it. There is just one thing you must know before you decide, Chief Thunderbird. This gift is for you and you alone. It may or may not benefit your people. Now I ask, will you accept my gift?"

"Not to be rude miss, but you haven't told me what that gift is," replied Thunderbird, unsure if he should accept it.

"I will tell you," the woman said mischievously. "But only after you decide to accept it." She smiled confidently, as if she already knew the young chief's answer.

Thunderbird thought for a moment. It seemed selfish for him to accept this gift if it would not benefit his people. He decided he would not accept the beautiful woman's offer. Before he could say so, **Wind Song**, Tree Runner's wife, spoke.

"Brother," she said quietly. "You do everything for us, and nothing for your self. You are allowed to be a little selfish in life. If you truly want to accept the gift, then do so."

Upon hearing his sister's words, Thunderbird thought for a long moment. Fire Flight waited, more anxious than any other. He was desperate to know what this woman, who he suspected of being a goddess, would give his bother.

"Very well, miss," Thunderbird finally responded. "I will accept your gift."

"Wonderful!" The beautiful woman was thrilled. "By the way, you may call me **Moon Child**. Now, perhaps we may speak alone so I may explain my gift?"

Slightly confused, Thunderbird lead Moon Child to the council room. Just before he entered, he spotted Fire Flight with a furiously exasperated look on his face.

"Now, about this gift," Thunderbird began when he was certain no one was listening.

"I must tell you more of my personal history first," Moon Child said before Thunderbird could finish. " My family is rash about everything. They never think things through. My own birth was unplanned and unexpected. My father did not even learn my mother's name until after I was born. And they said Zeus was rash." she stopped and looked at the floor, a strange look on her face. After a moment, she looked at Thunderbird, amusement in her eyes.

"You know, there _is _a difference between legends and history. History can be forgotten and distorted as generations pass. Legends are what people make up to fill in the missing pieces. In my home land, for example, the people have forgotten that the moon was born from the sun. They made up a legend that said the moon and the sun were twins." As she spoke, the strange look came across her face again. "If that were true, then the moon would be just as splendid as the sun, and not just a pitiful reflection."

With those words, Thunderbird finally understood the strange look on the woman's face. Despair. It was hard to recognize merged with her beautiful features, but there was no doubt of the emotion.

"That's strange," Thunderbird said, wanting very desperately to pull Moon Child from her sadness. "I have always fount the moon to be much more splendid than the sun."

Moon Child looked at Thunderbird, a small smile on her lips. "I promised myself that I would never be as rash as the rest of my family. I have always been careful. Because of this, I am still... innocent. I suppose I am being rash now, by giving you this gift, but I don't really care."

"And, what exactly is your gift?" Throughout the conversation, Thunderbird and Moon Child had been leaning closer and closer toward each other. Thunderbird only had to whisper the words.

"My gift is myself." And with that, she pressed her ice cold lips to his.

* * *

I sat silently pondering the man's words. After a moment of careful thinking, I spoke.

"Thunderbird never had magic in him," I said slowly. "The magic starts in his son, doesn't it?"

The man nodded, smiling slightly. "The second domino: Thunderbird's acceptance of Moon Child's gift. Or rather, Artemis's gift."

"So, the wolves are descended from the gods?"

"Not just the wolves."

"Well, what else--"

"I will tell you this later. Right now, I will tell you of the son of Moon Child and Thunderbird."


	4. Chapter 4

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**OMFG! It's been like two weeks since I posted for this story! I'm so ashamed T-T.. It's such a crime... **

**Anyway... This chapter has two parts to it. Both parts are pretty short so there I felt like there was no point in writing two different ones. The truly interesting stuff will start in the next chapter...  
**

**BTW: There is a pattern emerging. It will be important later. Review and leave me love!**

**Disclaimer: Any BOLD lines in the second part are paraphrased or directly quoted from ****New Moon**** Chapter 11.

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Chapter 4: Soul Seer and The Great Spirit Chief.

Three years after Thunderbird and Moon Child were married, Moon Child gave birth to a son. The Spirit Woman of the village declared the child to be incredibly special, with a very unique ability. She granted him the name **Soul Seer.**

For many years, the tribe waited anxiously to see how Soul Seer's uniqueness would manifest itself. More impatient than any other, Fire Flight often urged his nephew to attempt to awaken the power within him. On the day of Soul Seer's fifteenth birthday, it finally happened.

Following his uncle's instruction, he put himself into a very deep meditation. He was focused on nothing but his own breathing when he heard his uncle shout.

"Soul Seer! Wake up, boy! What's wrong?"

"What are you talking about uncle? Nothing is--" Soul Seer stopped short as he opened his eyes and saw that something _was_ very wrong.

Fire Flight was on his knees in the center of the room, shaking a young man by the shoulders. Though he had never seen his reflection, Soul Seer knew the man was him.

Instantly, the boy was terrified. He began screaming incoherently, trying to get his uncle's attention. The sound of his brother's shouting quickly brought Thunderbird into the hut, closely followed by Moon Child. Before an enraged Thunderbird could accuse his brother of something, Moon Child stepped forward and said "So, it would seem our boy has finally managed to learn the path to the spirit realm."

Three pairs of eyes stared at her questioningly. She giggled and approached Soul Seer, not his body, lying on the ground beside Fire Flight, but his spirit, standing highly confused in the corner.

"But you can't find your way back?" she asked him.

"No," Soul Seer whispered after a moment, unsure if she would hear him. She simply smiled wider and nodded in response.

"It's quite simple," she said, walking over to her son's body. "You must simply _want_ to go back and then step in."

Realizing his mother could see him, Soul Seer calmed himself enough to do what she said. He stepped forward an inhaled deeply, noticing his body doing the same. He closed his eyes tightly and braced himself before following his mother's instructions and stepping in. After a moment, he opened his eyes to find himself laying on his back, staring at his family.

Moon Child knelt beside her son, placing a freezing hand on his forehead.

"Your skin is warmer now," she said slowly. "That's usually what happens. As long as you continue to use this power, your body will always be warmer than other humans' are. The heat means changing. Your body will change, just a little bit, every time you take the path. My body is cold as ice. Cold means there is no change. Ever. This is something to remember." she said with a mischievous smile.

" Embrace this power of yours, my son. Practice this ability. Use it well, and when the time comes, teach your brothers and your sons the same."

Soul Seer smiled and nodded at his mother's words. Moon Child smiled and rose from her crouched position beside her son. She turned to leave but before she did, she stopped and turned to Fire Flight.

"My cousin **Lucky Star,** Tyche in our own country, is coming to visit soon. Would you mind guiding her about the village for her stay? She tends to get lost easily," Moon Child said with a laugh. "I wouldn't want to have her eaten by a wolf or something."

Fire Flight nodded, confused by the request and Moon Child smiled and walked from the room, Thunderbird following close behind.

"Brothers?" Thunderbird asked when they were a distance from the hut.

"Soon." was all she said in response before leaning forward and kissing her husband.

* * *

"Fire Flight was immediately captured by Lucky Star when she came to visit. Needless to say, she 'visited' for quite a while. Thunderbird and Moon Child eventually had two more sons and three daughters. Only one of Soul Seer's brothers gained the ability. One of his sisters did as well, which thrilled Moon Child. Soul Seer learned his ability well, using it only when absolutely necessary. He taught his brother and sister, and eventually, his sons, nephews and a few nieces as well.

"Time passed and Thunderbird and Moon Child eventually left the village, allowing Soul Seer to become chief. Nothing truly noteworthy happened while he was and the same is true for his eldest son, the next chief." the man paused for a moment, wondering how to continue.

"The next chief, however, my grandfather," the man paused for a moment, seeming to struggle with the memories. "His story is the only one that comes close to the truth. His is the first remembered. His is the first name not forgotten."

"Kaheleha," I whispered sedately. Slowly the man nodded.

"The only one," he whispered before launching back into his tale.

* * *

Kaheleha only ever had to use the Spirit Path twice before, and neither of those times were nearly as dangerous as the situation he was about to enter.

Since the time of great sadness, the population of fish had increased greatly. Another, larger tribe saw that _this _tribe was small and decided they they did not deserve access to such a bountiful fish population. **The larger tribe moved against them and they took to their ships to escape.**

"I love you," Kaheleha whispered to his wife, **Morning Sun,** as he prepared to lead the other Spirit Warriors to defend their village. "Watch over our boy."

"I will," she promised, clutching **Silver Wing**, their young son, to her chest.

Kaheleha stood up fully and called out across the ships. "Brothers! It is time for us to defend our home!"

**With that, he and all his warriors left the ships, while their wives watched over their bodies and the waves.**

When their spirit selves arrived at the harbor that was their home, Kaheleha began to give commands. It was simple to communicate with them because the instant he came up with a plan, they all heard it. **This was because when the warriors were their spirit selves, they could hear each others thoughts.**

**They knew they could not physically touch the enemy tribe, but they had other ways**_**.**_When they were in the spirit realm, they had the powers of the Moon Mother, as Moon Child had come to be called. **They could blow fierce winds into their enemy's camps; they could make great screaming in the wind that terrified their foes. Some animals could see and understand the spirit warriors and would do their bidding.**

**Kaheleha took his spirit army and wreaked havoc on the intruders. This invading tribe had packs of big dogs they used to pull their sleds. The spirit warriors turned the dogs against their masters and then brought a mighty infestation of bats up from the cliff caverns. They used the screaming wind to aid the dogs in confusing the men. The dogs and bats won. The survivors scattered, calling the harbor a cursed place. The warriors returned to their bodies and their wives, victorious.**

The moment Kaheleha's eyes opened, he smiled hugely. Morning Sun immediately knew what it meant. She let out a cry of joy, which was quickly joined by others from nearby ships. After a long embrace and a deep, passionate kiss, Kaheleha turned to Silver Wing and pulled him into a bone crushing hug. The boy was so overjoyed at his father's victory that he was laughing and crying at the same time. After the reunions were finished, Kaheleha lead his people back to the shore and they began the work of cleaning the mess the enemy tribe had left behind.

Silver Wing was the one who found her. He had been gathering splintered wood and shredded skins into piles to see if the could be used later, when he heard a muffled whimpering. He moved toward the sound, wondering what it could be. Finally he spotted a small form hidden in a bush. At first, he thought it was a dog, until he realized that the tiny frame belonged to a child, curled up into a ball, arms around her knees.

"Papa!" Silver Wing shouted suddenly. "Papa, there's one here! It's a kid!" Kaheleha rushed over at the sound of his son's call. He was followed closely by several of his brothers.

"What do we do with it?" someone asked when they spotted the child. After a moment of careful thought, Kaheleha knelt beside the child.

"What do they call you?" he asked gently.

"**Water**," she mumbled, her voice shaking.

"Water? Is that it?" the child nodded. "Okay, Water, what is your season? Do you know?"

"Cold"

"Winter?" She nodded again. "How many winter's have you seen?" Kaheleha asked, realizing that this child is _very _young. She looked down at her hand and raised and lowered her fingers until she thought they looked right. After a moment, she raised her hand, showing her index and middle finger to him. Before he could speak, she shook her head fiercely and pushed her thumb out as well.

"Three? Your only three?" Again, the girl just nodded. "They left you here all alone? Why would your family do that?"

The child frowned at his words as if she didn't understand them.

"Don't you have a family?" Kaheleha asked. The girl just shrugged. _She didn't know if she had a family!? _Kaheleha thought for a moment, unsure what to do.

"You're not gonna send her away, are you?" Silver Wing asked, interrupting his fathers thoughts.

"No," The chief answered his son. "I cannot do that. It would be cruel." He turned back to the girl in the bush. "Water..." He said hesitantly. "Please com out. No one is going to hurt you." After a moment's thought, the child crawled out of the bush and stood before the group. The entire group, excluding Silver Wing, gasped at her appearance.

Her skin was pale, like a pearl, while her hair was a shade of green so dark, it was almost black. Her eyes were astonishing, the exact shade of tawny that matched the sand on the beach. She was honestly the most beautiful child any of them had ever seen. Silver Wing, having only seen six summers, couldn't tell what the big deal was. While his father and uncles continued to stare, he went to the old Spirit Woman (the very same one from Soul Seer's time) and told her of the situation.

"I think she's gonna need a _real_ name and a family," he told her before returning to his task of collecting shredded skins and splintered wood.

* * *

"The child was given the name '**Water Kin**'. It was not difficult to find a family to take her in. Many were willing, but, in the end, she was adopted by a pair called '**Little Deer**' and '**Bear Tracks**'. They both loved her very much and considered her their own daughter. Their own two sons, however, did not feel the same.

"None of the children in the tribe liked her. The majority of them spent their time bulling her. Those who didn't join in, simply watched.

"The adults in the village knew what was going on, but they could not do anything since Water Kin would not point fingers. She simply suffered in silence.

"She would spend the next twelve years suffering, until someone finally stood up for her."

"Who?" I asked quietly when the man didn't continue. A mischievous glint came into his brilliant tawny eyes as he look up at me.

"My father."

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**OMG!!!!!! It's going to get even better now!!!!! I am sooooooo anxious to finish the next chapter!!! **

**Do me a favor? Review and tell me where you think it's going. That's something I ask EVERYONE to do, even my family when they're reading my personal stories. I need to know if it's perdictable.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Finally! Chapter five! Things are going to get tense next chapter. It's getting so close!**

**Quick favor. I have written another story, a one-shot called ­****Afterward. **** It tells you what happens with "The Man" after this story is over. I wrote it cause I honestly wasn't completely sure where **_**this**_** story was going. So read it. It's there to make you wonder. **

**Anyway, you know the drill R&R. Not that anyone will Review…**

Chapter 5: Water Kin and Silver Wing

Water Kin sat at the edge of the trees and watched as Silver Wing and the other village teens splashed around in the ocean. It was a warm, sunny day and the kids were enjoying themselves. She sighed, wishing she could join them, knowing what would happen if she tried. She closed her eyes and began humming a tune, one which she had long ago forgotten the words to. As she hummed, the sound of the waves and the movement of the wind seemed to join her in the song.

"She is so weird," **Rising Sun**, Water Kin's "brother", muttered to the kids beside him. "There's something wrong with her, I just know it."

"Of course there's something wrong with her," responded **Owl Eyes**. "If she was normal, the Spirit Woman wouldn't have chosen her to be her apprentice."

"So she's a witch?"

"I guess so."

"Well, she would have to be if the Spirit Woman chose her right?"

"You guys are being stupid," someone said. The group turned to the voice and was surprised to see that it belonged to Silver Wing. Silver Wing had never joined his peers in taunting the girl, but he had never said anything about the rest of them doing it either. "You're not being funny," he continued, getting angry. "You guys are being asses. You act like she doesn't have feelings just because she looks different. You don't even know anything about her!"

"You don't know anything about her either," Rising Sun said.

"No," Silver Wing responded, "but I'm willing to learn." With that, he turned away from the group and walked toward Water Kin.

Water Kin had been wrapped up in her own thoughts and didn't hear the conversation. When she heard Silver Wing approach, she squeezed her eyes shut and hid her face in her arms, humming louder.

Silver Wing waited for her to look up, and when she didn't, he tried to talk to her.

"Um, hi," he said lamely. "You, uh, you want some company?"

The moment she heard his voice, Water Kin's heart started pounding. He had never spoken to her before. This worried her. She had heard the group whispering together a moment ago, and now she was worried they had planed yet another joke to play on her. She was certain they knew she was in love with him and that they had talked him in to humiliating her in some way.

Without looking up, Water Kin simply shrugged. Silently, Silver Wing sank to the ground beside her. After a moment he decided she wasn't going to say anything to him, so he tried talking to her again.

"It's, uh, really warm out," he said. When she still didn't say anything, he continued. "Actually, it's hot, not warm. Don't you want to swim?"

Still without looking up, she shook her head.

After a moment of careful though, Silver Wing spoke again. "You're lying," he accused. "I've seen how much you like being in the water."

"I don't like it," Water Kin finally spoke, "as much as I _hate_ being the center of a joke." As she said this, she stood up and tried to storm away. Unfortunately, she wasn't good on her feet. She tripped over nothing but the sand. When she hit the ground, she heard the group laughing at her clumsiness. She felt the tears start to form, not out of embarrassment, but because there was sand in her eyes. She never cried at the abuse anymore. Owl Eyes saw the tears.

"Oh my god, she's crying!" he shouted, igniting a fresh round of laughter from the others. As she stood up, she nearly fell again. This time, she closed her eyes, hoping to keep the sand out.

Before she could hit the ground, she felt a pair of strong hand steadying her. She opened her eyes to find Silver Wing holding her steady. She blushed and he smiled. He had never seen her blush before. He thought it looked cute, especially with her pale skin.

"I have an idea," he whispered, still holding on to her. "You can swim and they can't make fun of you."

"Why not?" Water Kin was having a hard time not trusting Silver Wing. She guessed that this was how it was when you loved someone.

"Because they're cowards," he answered, still whispering. "Come with me and see." He let go of her, keeping only her hand and led her into the trees. She didn't question him as they traveled through the forest and wondered again why she trusted him so much.

They traveled in silence for several minutes. When they emerged from the trees, she realized what the joke was. They wanted to make her look like coward. For a moment, she felt bitter. Then she smiled. She would show them that she was no coward.

"So, who's going first?" she asked coolly.

"Well," he said, confused by her attitude, "I was going to let you decide that."

"I'll go first," she said without hesitating. She turned and walked to the edge of the cliff. She looked down to the water to try and guess the distance. After a moment, she turned and went all the way back to the edge of the trees. Then, she made a running start toward the cliff. When she reached the edge of the cliff, she jumped as far out as she could.

Silver Wing was shocked at the grace Water Kin exhibited as she twirled and danced in the air before she hit the water. His heart pounded franticly at the thought of how beautiful she looked. When she finally resurfaced, she flashed a cocky smile at him. He was dazzled. Without thinking, he jumped off the edge of the cliff so he could be near her again. He landed in the water a few feet from her. When he resurfaced, she was still smiling, but it wasn't cocky anymore. Now the smile was adoring. He smiled back at her.

After a moment, their smiles faded but they continued to stare at each other. Slowly, Silver Wing swam toward Water Kin. Her heart pounded more fiercely than ever at the thought of what he was going to do. For once, her thoughts were not negative. When he reached her, he wrapped his arms around her and looked into her eyes, silently asking her permission. Without a word, she leaned into him.

The moment their lips met, they both knew that there was no other option then to spend the rest of their lives together.

* * *

"She spent every moment she was not training with the Spirit Woman with him. At night she would sneak out and fall asleep next to him under the stars.

"It was no surprise when, three years later, Kaheleha approached Bear Tracks and Little Deer and told him that his son had asked to marry their daughter. The arrangements were quickly made and the pair was married by the next full moon.

"Three months after the marriage, Water Kin became pregnant." The man paused, looking amused. "They had a son. They named him Taha."

"Wait a minute," I said before he could continue. "I thought your name-"

"You'll understand later," the man interrupted. "Let me tell you a bit more."

I sat silently and waited for him to continue.

"I'm going to continue telling this story from an outside perspective for a little longer," he said slowly. "It's… difficult to share the next few years with you. I have been… trained, I guess you could say, by… someone, to not speak of this. _No one_ is allowed to know." He inhaled deeply before he continued.

"There is one more part concerning, Silver Wing and Water Kin. It- Uh, well…" he stopped again and looked at me.

"Vampires," he said slowly, almost bitterly. "They have been around longer than we have. The wolves, I mean. Only about ten years longer though. I- I was only twenty-five," he whispered.

"What did the vampires do?" I asked when he didn't continue. "What did they do to your family?"

"It's not what the vampires did," he said, clearly bitter this time. "It's what my mother did."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Infected**

Taha was three years old when his grandfather died. Kaheleha had been hunting when he was attacked by a wolf. The wolf had been infected by the foaming mouth illness, making its bite deadly. When Kaheleha was bitten, there was no hope for him. He was bitten on the throat, so it took only twelve days for the illness to kill him. When he passed away, Silver Wing became chief.

Because of this, Taha came to despise wolves. Every time someone went hunting, he begged them to bring home a wolf carcass. They usually did, in hopes of catching the wolf that killed Kaheleha, but they never found it. Years would pass. Eventually, Taha was allowed to join in the hunts. He went every time, still searching for the infected wolf. Everyone told him that he should give up the search, that the wolf would have died by this time. He didn't listen to them.

During one particular hunt, Taha wandered away from the others. He was following a set of wolf tracks when the elk the other hunters had been chasing charged in his direction. He was frozen with fear. Moments before the elk could trample him, a big black shape charged at the animal, knocking it to the ground.

As Taha watched the elk struggling against the black shape, he realized that it was actually a _huge_ black wolf. When it finished with the elk, the wolf turned on Taha. Taha was startled to see the long scar crossing the wolf's muzzle and right eye. It was foaming at the mouth. Taha instantly knew that this was the wolf that had killed his grandfather.

Though he knew he had to kill this wolf to avenge his grandfather, he was too terrified to move. Just as the wolf prepared to attack, Silver Wing came charging at it. He tackled it to the ground and was preparing to stab it when it thrashed hard, knocking him to the ground.

Taha watched in horror as the wolf sunk it sharp teeth into his father's arm. The wolf was turned away from him. Without thinking, he grabbed a large stone from the ground and smashed it into the wolf's head with all his strength. The wolf collapsed, releasing Silver Wing's arm. Without a hesitation, Taha took his father's dagger and stabbed the wolf through the heart. He held the dagger in place until the wolf stopped breathing, and then he carefully leaned into the wolf, listening for a heartbeat. Only after he was sure it was dead, he checked to see if his father was okay.

The other hunters had caught up with them by then and were gathered around the scene. Some were examining the two animals while others were checking Silver Wing's wounds. It was decided that the injuries weren't serious but that did not mean he was safe. He had been infected by the wolf's bite.

The group split into two smaller groups. One would continue hunting and the other would go back to the village with Silver Wing.

Taha decided he would go back to the village with his father. As he stood, he heard a small whimpering sound. He looked around for the source of the noise. His father and the other men were already a good distance away and both the wolf and the elk that lay at his feet were dead. He heard the noise again and realized it was coming from somewhere to his left. He followed the sound.

Without warning, he stepped into a hidden hole in the ground. As he fell, his ankle twisted. He groaned in pain. He knew from experience that it would be days before he could walk right. As he examined his swollen ankle, he heard the whimpering again. It was coming from the hole he had tripped over.

Momentarily forgetting his pain, he leaned over the edge of the hole and peered in. He gasped as he realized what he was seeing. He was looking into a den, and at the very bottom, lay a tiny wolf pup, only a few weeks old.

Taha knew that this pup belonged to the other wolf, that it was probably infected too, but as it looked up at him with its sad tawny eyes, he couldn't bring himself to hate it. Without someone to hunt for it, the tiny creature would die quickly. Without thinking twice, Taha picked up the pup and, ignoring the pain in his ankle, he carried it back to the village.

* * *

"You're falling asleep," the man said to me.

"No I'm not," I said stubbornly. Unfortunately, I yawned a second later.

"You should go to sleep," he said. When I frowned at him, he laughed. "I'm not going to run away while you sleep. I'm having too much fun telling you all this. My emotions haven't been this all over the place since... well, since the beginning! I really haven't talked, or even thought about any of this since I last saw my brother, and that was almost three thousand years ago. Since then it's been nothing but apathy for me. It kinda makes the emotional roller coaster fun!" After laughing for a moment, the man yawned.

"Looks like I'm not the only one who needs to sleep," I said smiling slightly.

"Apparently not," he responded, his eyelids starting to droop. "We'll continue this in the morning. You might have to wake me up though. I'm a bit of a heavy sleeper." I nodded to him and headed to the adjoining room. "Night." I mumbled to him.

"Good night," he answered quietly before I closed the door.

* * *

**A/N: Saved this for the end cause of what I have to say. If you've read my story 'Afterward' then you should be able to see the general direction this is going. And if you do see it, what do you think? And if you don't see it, re read the second part.**

**The next chapter is going to be called 'From Fire Comes Ice". Bet you can guess what happens next. Also, don't forget what role Water Kin (Taha's mom) playes in the village. If you alredy forgot, then reread chapter 5.**

**RANDOM THOGHT I FEEL LIKE SHARING!!!**

**Jacob would be called Mr. Black. Sound like the missing character from the Clue game. Maybe he can join the party with my brother, Mr. Rogers, and his friend, Mr. Burns.(both real last names of said people.)**

**Sorry, I'm Hyper!**


	7. Chapter 7

**7. From Fire Comes Ice**

He was still asleep when I woke. It was only six-thirty, so I took my shower, then walked down the street to get some doughnuts. Despite my normal diet, there were a few things I just couldn't live without. Chocolate icing and Bavarian cream were just two of them. I bought a dozen doughnuts and two dozen doughnut holes. I knew how much a wolf could eat.

When I got back to the rented room, the shower was running. I set the doughnuts on the little coffee table and sat on the old brown couch. As I waited, I checked my phone for new messages. There were none and it worried me a bit. It had been three days since I heard anything from my wolf, or even my parents. Of course, I had told them not to bother me unless it was extremely important, and, since I usually got what I wanted, I really had nothing to worry about. I composed a quick text and sent it just as the bathroom door opened.

"Those things are so strange," he said, eyeing my phone. "I suppose they're useful though. Used to take days to get messages between tribes, and you had to be careful not to be attacked by something." As he spoke, he took one of the doughnuts, examined it thoroughly, and then, took a cautious bite. "This is good," he said as he finished it, then picked up another and finished it quickly.

"Now," he said as he picked up his third doughnut, "back to the story."

* * *

Several weeks had passed. Silver Wing had not died, but there was no doubt he would. He burned with a fever which caused him to cry out, begging for death.

Water Kin tried to stay with him, but sometimes it was just too difficult. When this would happen, she would walk along the shore. That was where Taha had found her the day it began.

He'd thought of something that might save his father. He wasn't sure it would work. In fact, he highly doubted it would, but he still had to ask his mother if it was possible. It was his fault his father was dying, after all.

When he caught up to his mother, he tripped over a small stone (he had inherited his mother's grace), and nearly landed on the no longer tiny wolf pup, whom he had named 'Aki'. Fortunately, Water Kin caught him by his arm before he could really fall. Taha was more likely to be harmed by the pup, since he had grown so large over the past few weeks he now resembled a slightly larger than average adult wolf. And he was still growing. Taha predicted he would be as tall as a man by the time he was fully grown. The villagers had been wary about letting Taha keep him, but once it became obvious that he wasn't infected, he was allowed to stay. He made an excellent guard.

For a few minutes, Taha walked beside his mother, deciding how to phrase his question. He was never very good with words, so whenever he had something particularly important to say, he took his time in choosing them.

"Do you think," he began slowly, "that the knowledge that the Great Spirit and the Spirit Woman have given you can provide a way to keep father alive?" After a long silence, during which Water Kin stared at the horizon, Taha finally asked, "Is there a way?"

"There is no way to keep him alive," Water Kin finally said after another long silence. Slowly, she walked toward the water, eyes still fixed on the horizon. "But there may be a way to keep him from dying," she whispered.

"Isn't it the same thing?" Taha asked, suddenly scared. The sudden look of determination on his mother's face was not something he had ever seen, not even on the faces of the hunters during a particularly difficult hunt.

"No, it's not." She answered. "He will not live through this, no matter what, but I may be able to keep him from dying. Of course, there is a terrible price to pay."

"Then leave it be," Taha said, immensely frightened by his mother's words. "It's better to die than to live at a price!"

"You don't even know what that price is," she said calmly, finally looking at him.

"I could only be his soul," Taha said angrily, "or else it is it life of another."

Water Kin stared at her son for a moment, then nodded.

"Then don't do it," Taha said desperately.

"You don't understand," Water Kin said, despair darkening her eyes. Before Taha could interrupt, she went on, "The only reason I am accepted here is because of your father. I wouldn't be allowed to stay here is he died." She turned her gaze back on the ocean before whispering, "I wouldn't want to stay if he died. I couldn't live without him."

After a tense silence, Water Kin gave her son the names of certain ingredients she would need for the magic she was going to perform. Taha didn't argue. She had made up her mind, and would do it even if he chose not to help her.

It took Taha a day and a night to gather all that was needed. After he gave his mother the ingredients he called Aki and went into the forest. He claimed he would be hunting.

* * *

"I… we lived in the forest for five days, until **Yellow Feather**, the only female hunter in the village, brought us the news of my father. I'll tell you the short version; my father was alive. He had red eyes, pale skin, and couldn't eat anything, but he was alive. My mother was thrilled," he laughed bitterly as he finished.

We sat in silence for a few minutes as I took in the information he had given me. I had come looking for him to find out the truth about the origin of the Quileutes' power and I learn the origin of the vampire instead. Well, not instead. I wasn't going to leave until I got my answer, and I could tell that he wasn't anywhere near finished with this story.

"What happened next?" I asked quietly.

"I, we went back to the village. It was exactly as Yellow Feather had said. For several days he couldn't eat. He said he was only thirsty. His eyes slowly turned black. One day, while we out hunting, he attacked a deer. He drained it. The other hunters were shocked, but I wasn't surprised. I knew something like this would happen. When he finished with the deer, his eyes were red again, but not the same kind of red they were when he first woke up. They were duller now, almost… maroon? I don't know. Anyway… despite the new quirk in my father's personality, life continued as expected in our village.

"Everything was great in out village. My father was the greatest hunter the tribe had ever seen. We were never hungry. Life was good. For three years."

"What changed?" I whispered. He had been staring out the window, but when I spoke he tuned to look at me. He stared hard, almost smirking. As he stared, something clicked.

"Last night," I said slowly, deliberately, "you mentioned a brother."

* * *

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